There’s a new film production company starting up in Pontiac at the hands of a filmmaker with more than 20-years experience working in the industry.

Josh Becker, author and director of five independent films who returned home to Pontiac last year, has launched Panoramic Pictures in the city. Becker and his team recently purchased an office space at Voorheis Street and Telegraph Road for $120,000, putting another $20,000 in the building for renovations.

Josh Becker, director and author, on the set of "Warpath" in Pontiac.

Photo by Natalie Broda - Digital First Media

Currently the film company is working on two movies: “Crusin’: the Motown Story,” a documentary about the history of Motown’s dark underbelly as well as its bright side including interviews with Motown artists such as Martha Reeves, the Vandellas, members of the Four Tops, the Miracles and the Temptations. The second film, a classic-style western called “Warpath,” is being shot on a complex off Orchard Lake Road in Pontiac.

“Warpath,” starring L.A-actors Thom Matthews and Sasha Higgins, follows the story of a woman named Alice whose husband has been missing for six years in the mines. Against the judgement of her male peers, Alice goes on a journey from Colorado to Nebraska to find her husband, encountering a hostile territory and a bounty-hunter love interest along the way.

“It’s very rare to have a western where a woman is very independent and defies all the men in her life,” Higgins, who plays Alice said. “I’ve filmed in this area before and it was such an exciting time. I’m always rallying for people to come back to Detroit and shoot here.”

Cast and crew take a break on the set of "Warpath" in Pontiac.

Photo by Natalie Broda - Digital First Media

For Becker, the creation of these films and his career as an artist centers around the premise of art for art’s sake.

“This is my gambling. Try dropping a couple hundred thousand dollars on a movie and have absolutely no one go and see it. Or worse, it gets bad reviews,” Becker said from his director’s chair on set. “I’m living the dream. It would be really nice if people liked the movies but that’s not why I make them. I do this because I love making movies.”

During production, about 50 people are working on the set, many of them hired locally.

“I’ve always wanted to do a western, I hope to make films in all genres, except zombie movies,” Becker said. “With this film, I hope the world takes notice of Sasha Higgins, I’d be happy if I can be in any way responsible for that. She’s an exceptional talent and the anchor of this picture.”

A scene from the set of "Warpath" in Pontiac.

Photo by Natalie Broda - Digital First Media

Becker’s fifth independent film “Morning, Noon & Night,” also recently premiered. The crew spent 15 days shooting the film throughout Oakland County last year. It’s a dramatic-comedy that follows residents of an urban community living their daily lives while living with addiction to a myriad of vices.

At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, Becker will be hosting a double-feature horror film showing at the Pontiac Little Art Theater, 47 North Saginaw St. Showthing that night will be “Alien Apocalypse,” a 2005 Sci-Fi channel original and “Mosquito,” a 1995 sci-fi horror flick directed by Gary Jones. A $10 cover is required for entry.